us sensibility for the first time in his
life--he started when Arnold spoke to him.

"What's the matter, Geoffrey?"

"A letter to answer. And I don't know how."

"From Miss Silvester?" asked Arnold, dropping his voice so as to prevent
the ladies at the other end of the room from hearing him.

"No," answered Geoffrey, in a lower voice still.

"Have you heard what Blanche has been saying to me about Miss
Silvester?"

"Some of it."

"Did you hear Blanche say that she meant to send me to Craig Fernie
to-morrow, if she failed to get news from Miss Silvester to-day?"

"No."

"Then you know it now. That is what Blanche has just said to me."

"Well?"

"Well--there's a limit to what a man can expect even from his best
friend. I hope you won't ask me to be Blanche's messenger to-morrow. I
can't, and won't, go back to the inn as things are now."

"You have had enough of it--eh?"

"I have had enough of distressing Miss Silvester, and more than enough
of deceiving Blanche."

"What do you mean by 'distressing Miss Silvester?'"

"She doesn't take the same easy view that you and I do, Geoffrey, of my
passing her off on the people of the inn as my wife."

Geoffrey absently took up a paper-knife. Still with his head down, he
began shaving off the topmost layer of paper from the blotting-pad under
his hand. Still with his head down, he abruptly broke the silence in a
whisper.

"I say!"

"Yes?"

"How did you manage to pass her off as your wife?"

"I told you how, as we were driving from the station here."

"I was thinking of something else. Tell me again."

Arnold told him once more what had happened at the inn. Geoffrey
listened, without making any remark. He balanced the paper-knife
vacantly on one of his fingers. He was strangely sluggish and strangely
silent.

"All _that_ is done and ended," said Arnold shaking him by the shoulder.
"It rests with you now to get me out of the difficulty I'm placed in
with Blanche. Things must be settled with Miss Silvester to-day."

"Things _shall_ be settled."

"Shall be? What are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting to do what you told me."

"What I told you?"

"Didn't you tell me to consult Sir Patrick before I married her?"

"To be sure! so I did."

"Well--I am waiting for a chance with Sir Patrick."

"And then?"

"And then--" He looked at Arnold for the first time. "Then," he said,
"you may consider it settled."

"The marriage?"

He suddenly looked down ag